German Language Requirements to Study in Germany (2026)

“Do I need to speak German to study in Germany?” is the first question most African students ask us — and the honest answer surprises them. It depends entirely on the language your degree is taught in, not on the country. If you study in English, you may never sit a German exam at all. If you study in German, you’ll need a recognised certificate at roughly C1 level.

This guide separates the two paths clearly, shows the exact tests and levels for German-taught degrees, explains Craydel’s English-taught route where no German exam is required, and covers where German still helps — jobs, daily life and permanent residency.

1. Do you need German to study in Germany?

Not always — it depends on your programme’s language of instruction. A degree taught in English needs English proof; a degree taught in German needs German proof. There is no single national language rule that applies to every student.

Germany now has hundreds of English-taught programmes, concentrated in private and applied-sciences universities and in many master’s courses. For these, a German-language certificate is not required to enrol or graduate. German-taught degrees — the majority at tuition-free public universities — do require proof of German, usually at C1 level.

2. Craydel’s route: study in English, no German exam

Every university you can apply to through Craydel teaches in English, so no German-language exam stands between you and enrolment. You prove English instead — the same tests you’d use for Australia, the UK or Canada.

Across Craydel’s roughly 21 private English-taught universities in Germany, you show English proficiency with IELTS or TOEFL — typically around IELTS 6.0–6.5 overall, though this varies by university and course. Some universities waive the English test entirely if your secondary schooling was in English, which is common for students from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and other English-medium systems. You do not touch TestDaF, DSH, Goethe or telc for these programmes.

3. German-taught degrees: which test and what level?

German-taught degrees — mostly at public universities — require a recognised German certificate, generally at C1 level. The four tests German universities accept are TestDaF, DSH, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule and the Goethe-Zertifikat.

The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education (KMK) requires all German universities to accept certain tests as equally valid. The most common admission benchmark is TestDaF with TDN 4 in all four sections (reading, listening, writing, speaking) or DSH-2 (which corresponds to C1). Some programmes accept B2 (DSH-1) for entry, while a few competitive courses ask for C2 — each programme sets its own level, so always confirm with the university.

Source: DAAD and the German Rectors’ Conference / KMK recognition rules. Exact cut-offs vary by university and programme — always confirm with the institution.

4. What if you’re below the level? Studienkolleg and foundation years

If your school-leaving qualification or German level isn’t enough for direct entry, a Studienkolleg (foundation year) bridges the gap. It prepares you academically and in German for a public university place.

A Studienkolleg is a one-year preparatory course that ends in an assessment exam (the Feststellungsprüfung). It’s mainly for the German-taught, public-university route where an African school certificate doesn’t yet meet direct-entry requirements. On the English-taught private route, you generally skip this — those universities admit directly on your results and English proof. See our how to study in Germany guide for the full application path.

5. Do you need German for the student visa?

Not for the visa itself — the German student visa follows your admission letter and proof of funds, not a language test. The language proof you need is set by the university, not the embassy.

For an English-taught programme, your admission is based on English, so the visa does not require German. For a German-taught programme, you’ll have already shown German proficiency (TestDaF, DSH, telc or Goethe) to get admitted, and that admission is what supports the visa. Either way, the visa checks admission and finances — including a blocked account — rather than testing your German directly.

6. Where German still matters (even on an English degree)

You can enrol and graduate in English, but German pays off outside the lecture hall — for part-time work, daily life and especially long-term settlement in Germany.

Even a basic level (A1–B1) makes renting, opening accounts and part-time jobs far easier, and employers value it. It matters most later: after graduating you get an 18-month job-seeker permit, and the route to permanent residency — often via the EU Blue Card — generally expects around B1 German. If Germany is a long-term plan, start learning early. Our path to PR in Germany guide explains how language fits the residency timeline.

7. Frequently asked questions